artist-interview

Willie Waymore

Road Worn Honky Tonk & Modern Americana Music | Willie Waymore

The Rugged Revival — independent Country, Americana & Roots music. Live sessions, artist interviews and real music discovery. "Straight out of Atlanta, GA, The Waymores are a honky-tonk duo keeping country music raw, road-worn, and rooted in truth. Fronted by husband-and-wife team Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal, they blend unique vocals, honest storytelling, and a wry sense of humor into a sound that’s equal parts classic grit and modern Americana. Since joining forces in 2018, The Waymores have toured across the U.S., U.K., and Europe, sharing stages with Dale Watson, Wayne Hancock, Kelley Willis, Summer Dean, and Scott H. Biram. Their lively shows — full of heartbreak, honky-tonk energy, and banter — have earned them devoted fans on both sides of the Atlantic.Their third studio album, Greener Pastures (2023), produced by legendary hitmaker Shel Talmy (The Kinks, The Who, David Bowie), drew strong acclaim, with singles climbing the Alt-Country Specialty Chart and landing in the Top 10 alongside Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, and Lucinda Williams.Now, with their fourth album The Knot arriving in February 2026, The Waymores continue doing what they do best: singing about love, loss, and the miles between shows. Recorded in Nashville with rising producer Mose Wilson, The Knot brings wit, grit, and the easy chemistry the duo is known for.Whether nodding to tradition or twisting it with a modern grin, The Waymores keep one boot in the past and one on the gas — proving that country music is still about real stories, real songs, and the long road ahead." Subscribe to The Rugged Revival. Share it with your friends. Support independent music! Listen to the full podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wnHcgA73o1aiiKaz882vH?si=30aabdaa220a4628 Follow The Rugged Revival:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theruggedrevival/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theruggedrevival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094507520679 Website: www.theruggedrevival.com Email: ruggedrevival@hotmail.com

R.R. Williams - Raw Americana Rock & Honest Songwriting

R.R. Williams is a lot of things, and none of them are easily or quickly explained.These are songs about an American life from the honest-to-god user end, but believe you me- they waste not a single second muddling around in minutia. Williams’ writing quickly guides listeners straight into the belly of the beast; the deepest dwellings where the smoke is thick as the darkness; where we dare to ask our most honest questions of the universe. These are urgent matters; Purpose, Fate, Destiny, Redemption.There’s perverse and bizarre nuance to this modern life that doesn’t fit into a genre, a time, or a place necessarily. The fibers of the here don’t always intertwine with the fibers of the now as they once did, and the spaces where those knots have slipped are where these songs pick up the slack.But don’t let all this philosophical mumbo jumbo distract anyone from the fact that these are rock’n’roll songs. The radio may want you to think that thoughtful and expansive lyrics don’t pair well with catchy hooks and rowdy guitar tone, but R.R. Williams certainly doesn’t want you to think that. Not for a second.

Coby Rotan

Coby Rotan - Gritty West Texas Country Rock | Rugged Revival

Born out of the ashes of other Texas projects, Coby Rotan & The Naturals is less a band than a brotherhood. Fronted by Permian Basin native Coby Rotan — now based in Canyon Lake — the group delivers a sound that’s gritty, soulful, and unmistakably their own. Rotan first surfaced with a string of independent singles in 2023, including “The Yeti Song” and “Place Outside of Austin,” showcasing a blend of West Texas grit and Southern warmth. His songwriting has been compared to troubadours like Robert Earl Keen, with a mission to “write songs people can feel.”In early 2025, Rotan teamed up with bassist Lucas “Honky Tonk Red” Copeland, drummer Lincoln “Love” Lankford, and manager Jon Paul “JP” “Hogleg” Long to form The Naturals — a band built on chemistry, groove, and truth-telling songs. The lineup quickly expanded to include Ryan Igler (lead guitar), Rolando “Rolo” Ramon (fiddle), Brad Sosebee (keys), and Kevin Garinger (harmonica).

Jacob Weldon

Jacob Weldon - Bakersfield Grit Meets 90s Honky Tonk Revival | Instagram LIVE | Rugged Revival

Growing up in Independence, Oregon, Jacob was inspired by the legendary acts of West Coast country music. He brings back a 90's honky tonk sound with a touch of traditional flavor. Influenced by icons such as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Dwight Yoakam, he strives to bring high-energy country music hearken to the days of the jumping dance halls of Texas and rowdy honky tonks of Bakersfield.

Nicholas Jamerson

Nicholas Jamerson - Faith, Family, and the Frontier | Rugged Revival

The Narrow Way, the new full-length studio record from Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Nicholas Jamerson finds its grace in the space between folk storytelling and backroads country ramble. A heartfelt exploration of life’s struggles, joys, and the search for purpose, the record is rooted in the storytelling traditions of Appalachian roots and Americana music. Produced by the brilliant Rachel Baiman and featuring collaborations with Baiman, Ketch Secor (Old Crow Medicine Show), Tim O’Brien, Shelby Means, and Emily Jamerson, The Narrow Way blends poetic lyrics with authentic melodies to create a deeply personal and universallyresonant listening experience. Weaving together vivid imagery and poignant themes of family, nostalgia, resilience, and redemption, the record is an invitation to reflect on life’s winding paths while celebrating the bumps and beauty of the journey. Jamerson was born into a musical family in eastern Kentucky, where gatherings were full of guitars and songs. “My grandmother always had a camera rolling, which taught me early on that life is worth documenting” he says. “That’s what I try to do through songwriting: turn ordinary moments into something meaningful.” Starting out with piano and choir as a child, Jamerson added guitar, banjo and mandolin to his repertoire along the way. After college, he co-founded the band Sundy Best and has released a dozen records between them and his solo work and band over the last thirteen years. “Music has taken me places I never dreamed, like the Ryman and the Grand Ole Opry” he tells, “but more than anything, it’s a way for me to honor place and people, and to help others feel seen and proud of where they come from.” These days, in addition to his own music, Jamerson is working to mentor the next generation, helping other writers find their voice through projects like the Sleeping in the Woods Songwriter Festival. Thematically, The Narrow Way is a meditation on walking a difficult but purposeful path while holding onto faith and integrity while navigating the messiness of life. Those universal touchstones of the human experience - faith and doubt, the complexity of family ties (love, conflict, reconciliation, and the longing for connection and understanding), and the heartache of nostalgia and loss, are all to be found within The Narrow Way. The rain feeds the flowers, and the deep greys are balanced by the lightness found through the dignity of hard work, the sharing of struggles, and the emotional labor of pushing through hardship. Buoyed by and undercurrent of hope for personal renewal, forgiveness, and a clearer path forward, Jamerson hopes that listeners find the record a cathartic experience. “My hope is that it shakes something loose inside them—something they’ve been holding onto for too long—so they can finally let it go and leave it behind” he says. Written with a painterly economy of language, his songs shimmer in the space between narrative and allegory; a kaleidoscope of meditations set to music, they transcend genre and hit straight to the heart. Expertly arranged and elegantly executed, it is a record built around eminently engaging melody and Jamerson’s soaring voice; clear and bright as the stars on a winter night. The Narrow Way is the final chapter in a trilogy that traces a journey of self-discovery, faith, and perseverance—written from the heart of Appalachia, where the sacred and the simple meet. With a voice rooted in tradition and a pen sharpened by experience, Jamerson invites listeners to walk with him through the shadows towards something honest and eternal. The Narrow Way is a soul-stirring blend of mountain wisdom and familial remembrance, written by someone that carries the weight of memory, the fire of purpose, and the humility of a man still learning.

Jared Daws

Jared Daws - Country/Americana Artist Residing in Mississippi | Rugged Revival

Jared Daws is an American born singer-songwriter originally from New Orleans, Louisiana currently residing in Mississippi gulf coast. As a city-born Latino raised on country music, his style is best described as “eclectic.” Since an early age, Daws was heavily drawn to music and live performance mostly due to his father’s musical influence. Since 2008, Daws has been involved in several musical projects and has released many EPs and singles differing from genre to genre before going solo in 2023. His debut album 'Snow Below' returns him to his childhood roots of country/Americana music.

Omar Oyoque

Omar Oyoque - Bass Player For Texas Country & Americana Band, Silverada.

In this episode, Camden speaks to the awesome Omar Oyoque from Texas based Country & Americana band, Silverada.#texascountrymusic #americanamusic #reddirtmusic www.theruggedrevival.com

Dakota Saylor - Live at The Burl | Rugged Revival

At the legendary Burl in Lexington, KY, five incredible artists stepped onto the stage for the "For The Love of Appalachia" showcase - each competing for a life-changing opportunity: a fully-funded UK tour. In this interview, Rugged Revival's Kenzie Traylor sits down with Dakota Saylor to talk music, dreams, and what is means to represent Kentucky's thriving independent scene. This is just the beginning - we'll be sharing interviews with all five artists from this unforgettable night. Hit subscribe and join us in celebrating the voices that keep independent music alive! #kentuckymusic #independentmusic #countrymusic #appalachianmusic

Gracie Yates

Gracie Yates - Live at The Burl | Rugged Revival

At the legendary Burl in Lexington, KY, five incredible artists stepped onto the stage for the "For The Love of Appalachia" showcase - each competing for a life-changing opportunity: a fully-funded UK tour. In this interview, Rugged Revival's Kenzie Traylor sits down with Gracie Yates to talk music, dreams, and what is means to represent Kentucky's thriving independent scene. This is just the beginning - we'll be sharing interviews with all five artists from this unforgettable night. Hit subscribe and join us in celebrating the voices that keep independent music alive! #kentuckymusic #independentmusic #countrymusic #appalachianmusic

Josh Mitcham

Josh Mitcham – Ex-Jericho Woods Singer on Solo Barn Album

Josh Mitcham, from Webster, Kentucky is best known for his work with the group Jericho Woods, which he formed in 2014. After the dissolution of JW and the subsequent pandemic, Mitcham set about working on a solo project that would solidify his style. With all the success of Kentucky, and especially Appalachian artists, it would have been easy to lean into that trend in current music tastes, but as Mitcham himself said, “Hell, I live a whole lot closer to John Mellencamp than I do Lawrence County (referring to Tyler Childers)”. While definitely a fan of Appalachian music, and a proud Kentuckian, Mitcham really wanted to tap into the music that had shaped his own taste: Tom Petty, Ryan Adams, Butch Walker, and Nada Surf. While definitely country, Mitcham lands in a middle ground between country and an Isbell-ish rock. Stacked vocals and ambient guitars tinged with fiddle and steel. Still not really “mainstream country radio” ready but not a old-time mountain murder ballad either (there is a song about killing!) Mitcham definitely has his own voice, as these songs are indeed familiar to the style of his former group, but without an attempt to please Nashville or the hipsters; but he might just have a little something here for all of them. Recorded in the 100 year old barn on his family farm, Mitcham has crafted an album that sets him apart from a lot of the trendy music hashtagging onto the Kentucky music train these days. #countrymusic #kentuckymusic #countryartist #musicpodcast #countrysingersongwriter

Jack Browning

Jack Browning – London Folk-Blues Inspired by Neil Young

Jack Browning is a 26-year-old artist and musician hailing from London, UK. A sucker for folk, blues, and country music, Jack divides his time between the recording studio, the art studio, and touring the UK and Europe. Raising beers and cheers equally, Jack weaves a line drawing from traditional titans and new-age outlaws alike, from Neil Young and Tom Petty to Willie Watson and Colter Wall. #ukcountrymusic #realcountrymusic #countryartist #musicpodcast